Lesson plans, classroom materials, and teaching strategies on the Global Impact of Computing. Portal to our collection of creative, engaging resources to support teachers of AP Computer Science Principles, and others who want to bring social impact into high school CS classrooms.

Google Uses Neural Networks to Translate Without Transcribing

Google Uses Neural Networks to Translate Without Transcribing

Published By:New Scientist, 4/4/2017

Summary

Researchers at Google Brain are developing a method to translate speech in one language to text in a different language, using neural networks. They hope to improve over more conventional automatic methods, where the speech is transcribed into written text, and then the written text is translated. The older method can be cumbersome, and initial experiments show that direct speech-to-text translation seems less subject to error. The new method could especially help speakers of rare languages communicate with others around the globe.

Extended Discussion Questions

If an app were created and released using this speech-to-text translation technology, how might you be able to use it? At home, for school, around town…?

Commentator Sharon Goldwater suggested in the article that such translation software could have been used to translate Haitian Creole after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, had it been available. Besides disaster relief efforts, can you think of other situations where this technology could be applied?

In a high-stakes situations like disaster relief, what are some of the advantages of hiring human translators? What are some of the advantages of implementing a machine translation system?